Scholarships

The NCAA stripped Oregon of a scholarship in each of the next two seasons and put the program on probation for three years, opting against stiffer penalties such as a bowl ban despite issuing a show-cause order against former coach Chip Kelly, who apologized to the school, its fans and its players. The NCAA's Division I Committee on Infractions released a report Wednesday that said Kelly failed to monitor the program for its improper involvement with Willie Lyles and his Houston-based recruiting service.

It's a new era in college football recruiting. Sometimes it takes showing up at a camp to convince a school to offer a scholarship. That's what happened Friday at UCLA, where receiver Jordan Lasley of Gardena Serra said he ran a 4.4 40-yard dash and made such a positive impression that he received a scholarship offer from the Bruins. On Saturday, he accepted the offer. "It meant a lot," Lasley said. "I think of it as testament to my hard work. I was really appreciative. " There are risks in going to college camps, because the coaches get to see you up close and personal, and measurements and speed times might not match previous expectations.

USC, which offered a football scholarship to a 13-year-old seventh-grade quarterback a few years ago, has offered a scholarship to Nathan Tilford, an incoming freshman receiver at Upland High. Upland Coach Tim Salter confirmed Monday that the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Tilford received the offer from the Trojans. Blair Angulo of WeAreSC.com reported the offer on Sunday evening, citing an unnamed source. Salter said Tilford was set to begin summer practice at Upland. "I would like for the young man to enjoy his high school experience before he has to worry about what college to go to," Salter said.

Eight seniors from the Corona-Norco Unified School District were surprised Wednesday with $160,000 worth of college scholarships from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation. The Riverside County district is a finalist for the prestigious Broad Prize, which honors academic excellence by minority and low-income students in urban districts across the nation. The students -- from Santiago, Centennial, John F Kennedy and Eleanor Roosevelt high schools -- are enrolled in four-year institutions and will each receive $20,000 paid out over four years.

This isn't Texas, so I know most people aren't spending day and night worrying about spring football. But in honor of those fans who can't get enough about football, here are some observations as high school teams begin to start spring drills: "Blowing up" is a term used in the college recruiting business referring to a player who suddenly gains momentum as a college prospect. Let me offer a quarterback with no scholarship offers who might soon get attention: San Fernando senior-to-be Cristian Solano.

Guard Allerik Freeman has been released from his scholarship by UCLA. Freeman, a guard from Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep, signed a letter of intent in the fall. He asked for a release after Coach Ben Howland was fired. UCLA's recruiting class has two players remaining, guard Zach LaVine and forward Noah Allen. Guard Bryce Alford, the son of new UCLA Coach Steve Alford, has said he will attend UCLA. Alford signed a letter of intent with new Mexico, where his father previously coached.

BOSTON -- Boston University set up a scholarship fund Thursday in honor of student Lu Lingzi, one of three people killed in Monday's bombing at the city's marathon. Donors have already committed $560,000 toward the fund, the university said. On a day when President Obama delivered a rousing speech at a religious service in Boston honoring the victims, the university said Lu's family would travel to Boston from their home in Shenyang, China, as soon as this weekend. The university may hold a memorial service next week, depending on the family's wishes, a university spokesman said.

The University of Oregon has acknowledged major NCAA violations in connection with football recruiting and proposed a self-imposed two-year probation with the loss of one scholarship in each of the next three years, according to documents released by the school. The revelations were made in a summary disposition report included in the documents released Monday night. The contents were first reported by KATU-TV in Portland. Oregon and the NCAA have failed to come to an agreement on the matter and the case is expected to go before the infractions committee at some point this year.

College acceptance letters are starting to arrive, and families now must figure out how to pay the tuition. Here are some sites that offer guidance to the world of financial aid: • The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. A relatively new federal agency, the bureau has a beta site on college finances. One of the bureau's goals is to make students' borrowing costs clearer. Near the top of the page is a college-prep timeline showing the steps from researching schools to repaying college debt.

TEMPE, Ariz. - Tune in Saturday afternoon to see UCLA Coach Ben Howland's juggling act. The Bruins learned Friday that they will be without forward Travis Wear, who suffered a concussion in their 84-73 victory over Arizona on Thursday. UCLA has only eight players on scholarship and now has one less. It will leave Howland trying to find respites for players as he did against Arizona. "We got to play smart," Howland said. The Bruins were proving that eight was enough. Now they need their seven to be magnificent.